Sheet storing device and printer with the sheet storing device

ABSTRACT

A sheet storing device comprises an opening section that opens upwards and let a roll paper in and out; and a storing section that includes a roll paper receiving wall wherein in a paper feeding direction of a continuous-feed paper pulled from the roll paper the movement of the roll paper towards the paper feeding direction is controlled, a surface opposite to the roll paper slopes in an acute angle relative to a horizontal direction, and stores the roll paper.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-216991, filed Sep. 30, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate to a sheet storing device and a printer with the device.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, in a so-called throw-in type printer, a roll paper formed by winding a continuous-feed paper is stored in a sheet storing device arranged in a paper feeding device, and the roll paper is successively pulled out of the sheet storing device by rotation of a motor and sent to a print section, and then printed at the print section, thereby a label etc. is made.

For the sheet storing device, in order to facilitate the throw-in of the roll paper and make it easier to be pulled out of a mold when conducting molding with a mold, the angle relative to a horizontal plane is an obtuse angle such that an anterior wall and a posterior wall seceded from each other towards an opening section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view in a state of an upper case of the printer according to the embodiment is opened;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view schematically showing the printer with a sheet storing device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a roll paper is set in a roll paper set section as the sheet storing device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a condition under which the roll paper set in the roll paper set section is pulled out;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a condition under which the roll paper with a decreasing diameter is pulled out of the roll paper set section;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship of a contact force against a roll paper receiving wall with a contact force against a bottom plate when a pulling-out force is applied against a pulling out region of the roll paper;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship of a contact force against the roll paper receiving wall with a contact force against the bottom plate when a gravity is applied on the roll paper;

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the sheet storing device, wherein (A) is a diagram showing a condition under which a projection is arranged at the roll paper receiving wall, (B) is a diagram showing a condition under which a roller is arranged at the roll paper receiving wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to one embodiment, a sheet storing device comprises an opening section that opens upwards and lets a roll paper in and out and a storing section configured to regulate the movement of the roll paper towards the paper feeding direction in a paper feeding direction of the continuous-feed paper pulled out from the roll paper, include a roll paper receiving wall that the surface opposite to the roll paper slopes in an acute angle relative to a horizontal direction and store the roll paper.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the printer according to the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the state in which the upper case of the printer according to the embodiment is opened, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view schematically showing the printer with a roll paper set section as the sheet storing device according to the embodiment. The printer 1 is a thermal printer that prints on a receipt at a shop etc., and it includes a printer case 2, a paper feeding device 11, and a print section 21.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the printer case 2 has a lower case 4 and an upper case 5 that are connected via a hinge 3. The paper feeding device 11 is built in the posterior part of the printer case 2 (in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the back side viewed from the paper surface side), and the paper exit 6 is arranged at the front end of the printer case 2 (in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the near side viewed from the paper surface side).

The upper case 5 is openable and closable by rotating about a fulcrum i.e. the hinge 3. The upper case 5 is also used as an opening and closing member that opens the upper side of a paper storing section 12 as a sheet storing device described below of the paper feeding device 11 by opening the upper case 5.

A lower paper guide 4 a that reaches a paper exit 6 is arranged in the lower case 4. An upper paper guide 5 a that reaches the paper exit 6 is also arranged in the upper case 5. The posterior end of the upper paper guide 5 a is formed as an arc shape, and the posterior end is arranged in a manner that the below mentioned paper storing section 12 of the paper feeding device 11 is covered from above in a state of the upper case 5 being closed. Multiple idle rollers 5 b, 5 c are installed at the upper paper guide 5 a.

The paper feeding device 11 includes the paper storing section 12.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the roll paper is stored in the paper storing section, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a state in which the roll paper is stored in the roll paper set section, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state in which the roll paper stored in the paper storing section is becoming smaller.

The paper storing section 12 is formed as a container shape with an opening section 122 on the upper side. The space within the roll paper set section 12 that stores the roll paper 13, i.e. a interior space 121, is surrounded by a roll paper receiving wall 14, a bottom plate 15, and a second wall 16, and end walls 17. The roll paper 13 is, for example, a coreless roll paper formed by winding a thermal paper to a roll shape, and across the opening section 122 it falls into the interior space 121 in a throw-in manner, thereby it is stored in the paper storing section 12.

The roll paper receiving wall 14 forms the anterior wall of the paper storing section 12, the bottom plate 15 forms the bottom wall of the paper storing section 12, and a second wall 16 forms the posterior wall of the paper storing section 12. The end walls 17 are respectively arranged at both ends of the paper storing section 12 in a longitudinal direction.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the roll paper is set in the paper storing section according to the embodiment, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a condition under which the continuous-feed paper is pulled from the roll paper set in the paper storing section, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a condition under which the continuous-feed paper is pulled from the roll paper with a decreasing diameter.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the roll paper 13 within the paper storing section 12 contacts with the roll paper receiving wall 14 and the bottom plate 15, and thus rotatably supported by them. In a case of being rotated counter clockwisely in FIGS. 4 to 6, a continuous-feed paper pulling-out region 13 a that is pulled from the roll paper 13, is pulled out forwards through a opening section 123 formed by the upper end of the roll paper receiving wall 14 and the posterior end of the upper paper guide 5 a (referring to FIG. 3).

The roll paper receiving wall 14 is arranged in the paper feeding direction of the roll paper 13 pulled from the continuous-feed paper. At a position where the roll paper 13 is enclosed and opposite to the roll paper receiving wall 14, a second wall 16 is arranged. Also, the bottom plate 15 is arranged at a position where being enclosed by the roll paper receiving wall 14 and the second wall 16.

The angle of the roll paper receiving wall 14 relative to the surface opposite to roll paper 13 is an acute angle. Although described in detail hereinafter, when the roll paper 13 is pulled out it abuts with a surface opposite to the roll paper 13 of the roll paper receiving wall 14, thereby the movement towards the paper feeding direction is controlled, and the jump-up of the roll paper 13 is inhibited, and when the roll paper 13 jumps up it will immediately fall down to the bottom plate 15.

The bottom plate 15 continues in a manner that being bent backwards from the lower end of the roll paper receiving wall 14. The second wall 16 stands up from the posterior end of the bottom plate 15. The interior space 121 side face of the roll paper receiving wall 14 and the interior space 121 side surface of the second wall 16 are arranged in a manner that being at least parallel, preferably the gap between each other towards the opening section 122 becomes wider. In this way, it is easier to put the roll paper 13 into the interior space 121 and it can be easier to draw the paper storing section 12 out of the mold when paper storing section 12 is molded with a mold. The roll paper receiving wall 14 and the bottom plate 15 support the roll paper 13 stored in the roll paper set section 12 in a rotatable manner.

The function of the print section 21 is to pull the roll paper 13 out of the paper storing section 12 and to print onto the region 13 a. As shown in FIG. 3, the print section 21 is arranged at downstream of the paper storing section 12 in a transportation direction of pulling out region 13 a of the roll paper 13. The print section 21 includes a platen roller 23 rotated by a motor 22 and a print head 24 contacting with the platen roller 23.

The motor 22 is a steeping motor, and it is driven according to the number of the drive pulse applied to it. The motor 22 and the platen roller 23 are installed in the lower case 4. The upper part of the platen roller 23 projects from a lower paper guide 4 a.

The print head 24 is a thermal head, for example. The print head 24 is installed in the upper case 5 corresponding to the arrangement of the platen roller 23. The lower part of the print head 24 projects from a upper paper guide 5 a, and it contacts with the platen roller 23 from above in a state of the upper case 5 being closed.

The set of the roll paper 13 into the printer 1 with above configuration is conducted by following manner: in a state of the upper case 5 being opened, let the roll paper 13 fall into the paper storing section 12 through the opening section 122, and after the peripheral end of the roll paper 13 is pulled out until reaching the paper exit 6, the upper case 5 is closed. In this way, the roll paper 13 contacts with the roll paper receiving wall 14 and the bottom plate 15 of the paper storing section 12, and supported rotabaly by them. Also, the pulling-out region 13 a of the roll paper 13 is set in a state of being enclosed by the platen roller 23 and the print head 24.

In above-mentioned printer 1, the relationships of the contact force against the roll paper receiving wall 14 of the roll paper 13 with the contact force against the bottom plate 15 are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In addition, in FIGS. 7 and 8 a state in which the roll paper 13 becomes smaller with printing is illustrated, but a state of the roll paper being large is also the same.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship of the contact force against the roll paper receiving wall 14 with the contact force against the bottom plate 15 when a pulling-out force F is applied against the pulling-out region 13 a of the roll paper 13. In addition, the direction of the pulling out force F is same as the pulling-out direction of the roll paper 13 (paper feeding direction).

At a contact point 13 b of the roll paper 13 with the roll paper receiving wall 14, the pulling out force F is decomposed into a force F1 that makes the roll paper 13 clime along the roll paper receiving wall 14 and a force F2 that makes the roll paper 13 push the roll paper receiving wall 14.

In the case that the pressing force F2 is applied, a friction force is generated between the roll paper 13 and the roll paper receiving wall 14, and the friction force operates to impede the rotation of the paper 13. In a circumstance that the paper feeding is properly conducted i.e. the roll paper 13 is rotatable, the pulling-out force F is applied so as to make the whole roll paper 13 rotate and pull out the continuous-feed paper, and the roll paper 13 itself is not drawn up. However, in a circumstance that the rotation of the roll paper 13 due to above-mentioned friction force is impeded, the continuous-feed paper is not pulled out, and the pulling-out force F is applied to the roll paper 13 itself, also, the force F1 that make the roll paper 13 clime along the roll paper receiving wall 14 due to the pulling-out force F is applied.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship of the contact force against the roll paper receiving wall 14 and the contact force against the bottom plate 15 a when a gravity M is applied against the roll paper 13. At the contact point 13 b between the roll paper 13 and the roll paper receiving wall 14, a gravity M is decomposed into a force M1 that makes the roll paper 13 throw down along the roll paper receiving wall 14 and force M2 that draws the roll paper 13 away from the roll paper receiving wall 14. Then, in the case the roll paper 13 is not much consumed and its self weight is large enough, the force M2 also becomes larger than above-mentioned pressing force F2. In this case, because the pressing force F2 is not applied, the friction force that impedes the rotation of the roll paper 13 is not generated. That is, the roll paper 13 can normally rotate and the paper feeding can be conducted, thus the pulling-out force F is applied so as to make the whole roll paper 13 rotate and pull out the continuous-feed paper, and the jump-up of the roll paper 13 can be effectively prevented.

In a case that the roll paper 13 is consumed and its self weight becomes smaller, the gravity M becomes smaller, thus the above-mentioned force M2 also becomes smaller. Therefore, the force M2 also becomes smaller than the above-mentioned pressing force F2, and a friction force that impedes the rotation of the roll paper 13 due to the pressing force F2 is generated. Then, as compared with the case of the self weight being sufficiently large at the time of the above-mentioned roll paper 13 is pulled out, the jump-up of the roll paper 13 becomes easier.

However, in this case, force M2 is sufficiently small and the drag against the force M2 i.e. a force that acts in a direction making the roll paper 13 secede from the roll paper receiving wall 14 is applied from the roll paper receiving wall 14 to the roll paper 13. Therefore, even if the roll paper 13 momentarily jumps up, the force that impedes the rotation of the roll paper 13 is weak, the roll paper 13 immediately rotates and falls down to the bottom plate 15, meanwhile its rotation is continued. In this way, the roll paper 13 normally rotates and the paper feed can be conducted, and the pulling-out force F is applied so as to make the whole roll paper 13 rotate and pull out the continuous-feed paper. In this way, in a case that the self weight of the roll paper 13 becomes smaller, the jump-up of the roll paper 13 can be kept at minimum, and the smooth paper feed can be conducted.

In a case that the coreless roll paper 13 can be used to the end is used, and in a state that the roll paper 13 is consumed with printing and the diameter of the roll paper 13 becomes smaller and its self weight becomes lighter, the problem of the friction force and jump-up of the roll paper 13 becomes notable. In a state of the self weight of the roll paper 13 becomes lighter, the above-mentioned jump-up becomes notable, and the roll paper 13 is drawn into the opening section 123 that gets across from the paper storing section 12 to the print section 21. At this time, the roll paper 13 includes no core, and its construction becomes friable, thus it may collapse and deform. Then, such deformed roll paper 13 blocks up the opening section 123, thus the smooth transportation of the roll paper 13 is impeded and print disorder could occur. However, in the printer according to above-mentioned embodiment, such problems can be effectively prevented.

Although the embodiment of the present invention includes been described, the embodiment is presented as an example, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The novel embodiment may be conducted in other various forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modification can be done without departing from the gist of the invention. The embodiment or its variation is included in the scope or the gist of the invention and also includes in the scope recited in the claims and its equivalent.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9 (A), a projection 141 may be arranged at the surface of the roll paper receiving wall 14 that is opposite to the roll paper 13. By forming such a configuration, even if the roll paper 13 that is consumed and its self weight becomes lighter jumps up, the jumped up roll paper 13 strikes to the projection 141 and bounces back, thereby the roll paper can be rapidly seceded from the roll paper receiving wall 14. In this way, the above-mentioned friction force is canceled, and the roll paper 13 normally rotates and the paper feed can be conducted, and the pulling-out force F is applied so as to make the whole roll paper 13 rotate and pull out the continuous-feed paper, the roll paper 13 falls down to the bottom plate 15, and its rotation is continued. Therefore, the jump-up of the roll paper 13 can be kept at minimum, and a smooth paper feed can be done.

As shown in FIG. 9(B), a roller 142 may also be arranged at the surface opposite to the roll paper receiving wall 14 of the roll paper 13. By forming such a configuration, even if the roll paper 13 that is consumed and its self weight becomes lighter jumps up, the jumped up roll paper 13 contacts with the roller 142 and the roller 142 rotate, thereby the roll paper 13 also becomes into a rotatable state. In this way, the above-mentioned friction force is canceled, the roll paper 13 normally rotates and the paper feed can be conducted, and the pulling out force F is applied so as to make the whole roll paper 13 rotate and pull out the continuous-feed paper, and the roll paper 13 falls down to the bottom plate 15, and its rotation is continued. Therefore, the jump of the roll paper 13 can be kept at minimum, and a smooth paper feed can be conducted.

The paper storing section 12 may also be removable relative to the printer 1. In this way, the roll paper set section 12 can be altered according to the size of the roll paper 13, and the roll paper 13 with various sizes can be used.

Also, a paper storing section with the same shape as above-mentioned paper storing section 12 may also be formed into the printer 1 in an integrated manner.

While certain embodiments include been described, these embodiments include been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sheet storing device, comprising: an opening section that opens upwards and lets a roll paper in and out; and a storing section configured to regulate the movement of the roll paper towards the paper feeding direction in a paper feeding direction of the continuous-feed paper pulled out from the roll paper, include a roll paper receiving wall that the surface opposite to the roll paper slopes in an acute angle relative to a horizontal direction and store the roll paper.
 2. The sheet storing device according to claim 1, wherein the storing section includes a second wall located at the opposite side of the roll paper receiving wall across the roll paper, and the second wall slopes at a obtuse angle of a surface opposite to the roll paper relative to the horizontal direction, and the gap between the roll paper and the roll paper receiving wall becomes larger towards the opening section.
 3. The sheet storing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a roller is arranged at a surface opposite to the roll paper of the roll paper receiving wall.
 4. The sheet storing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a projection is arranged at a surface opposite to the roll paper of the roll paper receiving wall.
 5. A printer, comprising: a sheet storing device includes an opening section that opens upwards and lets a roll paper in and out and a storing section configured to regulate the movement of the roll paper towards the paper feeding direction in a paper feeding direction of the continuous-feed paper pulled out from the roll paper, include a roll paper receiving wall that the surface opposite to the roll paper slopes in an acute angle relative to a horizontal direction and store the roll paper; and a print section configured to print on the continuous-feed paper fed out of the sheet storing device.
 6. The printer according to claim 5, wherein the storing section includes a second wall located at the opposite side of the roll paper receiving wall across the roll paper, and the second wall slopes at a obtuse angle of a surface opposite to the roll paper relative to the horizontal direction, and the gap between the roll paper and the roll paper receiving wall becomes larger towards the opening section.
 7. The printer according to claim 5, further comprising: a roller is arranged at a surface opposite to the roll paper of the roll paper receiving wall.
 8. The printer according to claim 5, further comprising: a projection is arranged at a surface opposite to the roll paper of the roll paper receiving wall.
 9. The printer according to claim 5, wherein the sheet storing device is removable. 